Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I wish to celebrate the 206th birthday of the 16th President of the United States, as well as the penny that honors his name. Hailing from the Land of Lincoln, I have long celebrated the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln.

For more than 100 years, Abraham Lincoln has been the face of the penny. Lincoln was the first person to appear on an American coin, and the Lincoln penny is the longest used design of any American coin.

For generations of Americans, the penny has served as a memorial to the first President assassinated in office. It is a reminder of the liberation of the African slaves and of the brutal Civil War that threatened to end the American experiment.

Different versions of the penny have been produced throughout the years. In 1959, the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, a representation of the Lincoln Memorial was put on the reverse side of the coin. To honor Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, four new penny designs were released. One reflects a log cabin, similar to the one in Kentucky where Lincoln was born. The second features Lincoln reading a book with an axe by his foot, showing his formative years and self- education in Indiana. The third penny shows Lincoln speaking in front of the State capitol in Springfield, representing his professional life as legislator from Illinois. Finally, the fourth design features a half-finished Capitol dome during the Civil War to represent his Presidency. The newest reverse design depicts a Union shield with a scroll and carries the words ``Preservation of the Union'' marking what is seen as Lincoln's greatest achievement.

The Lincoln penny is the most common and most highly circulated coin in the United States. The penny significantly contributes to the U.S. economy, especially in charitable contributions. Tens of millions of pennies have been donated to charities over the past decade.

It may be the lowest coin denomination, but the penny carries a lot of weight in terms of our Illinois and American history, culture, and society. It is an intrinsic part of the American experience and represents the opportunity that many believe is inherent in the American dream.

Mr. President, Illinois lost its longest-serving Member of the House of Representatives and this country lost one of the great leaders of the conservative movement last week when Philip Crane passed away at the age of 84.

For 35 years Phil Crane represented Chicago's northwest suburbs, a region I know well. He was first elected to Congress in 1969, winning a special election, and ultimately became the longest-serving House Republican when he was finally defeated in 2004. While I served with Congressman Phil Crane in the House of only 4 years, our districts were adjacent to each other and together we fought for many issues important to suburban Chicago and Illinois.

Before conservative principles were fashionable, Phil was leading the way for conservatism, working for Barry Goldwater in 1964 in Illinois. When some said Phil's politics of small government and low taxes were backward looking, he responded with gusto, arguing in support of free markets and trade, prudent economics policies, a strong national defense, and traditional values.

Phil was courageous and had foresight. In 1976 he was the first sitting Congressman to publicly support Reagan in his effort to defeat President Gerald Ford. He also founded the Republican Study Committee, which still exists today in the House of Representatives. He also was deeply involved in the early days of two of the most influential conservative think tanks, the Heritage Foundation and the American Conservative Union.

In 1980 Phil took a run for President, ultimately falling to Ronald Reagan. As a young House staffer, I noted that numerous Congressmen respected Phil for his early advocacy of conservative principles and his ties to the early days of the modern conservative movement. If you want to get a feel of Phil, then read his 1976 book ``The Sum of Good Government.''

Phil Crane fought tirelessly as a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee for his conservative principles, including for lower taxes and increasing trade. One of his greatest legislative achievements was the North American Free Trade Agreement, which created the world's largest free trade zone, linking up billions of dollars annually.

With the passing of Phil Crane, Illinois and Washington have lost one of its greats. Thank you, Phil Crane, for your service to the State of Illinois and to our country.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize Chicago's very own Jackie Robinson West Little League team, who are the reigning 2014 Little League World Series U.S. Champions. Jackie Robinson West is the first team from Chicago to reach the Little League World Series in more than 40 years. They have brought immense pride to our city, and I commend them on their incredible achievement.

From Chicago's South Side, the Jackie Robinson West team consists of 13 players aged 11-13 years old. The last Little League team from Chicago to make it nearly this far was in 1967, and we were long overdue for another run at the championship. These 13 players worked together for countless hours to bring their A-game to the field. During their season, they outscored their opponents by a score of 212 to 28! Their teamwork, dedication to their teammates and coaches, and perseverance to become champions is nothing short of an inspiration to myself and our entire country.

Jackie Robinson West showed us all what true dedication, tireless effort and teamwork can achieve. They represented our Nation with great pride and sportsmanship on and off the field, and I am proud of each and every one of these young men for what they have achieved and for the sense of pride and accomplishment that they have brought to our city. They are an inspiration to young men and women across Chicago and throughout the Nation.

I want to personally congratulate DJ Butler, Lawrence Noble, Jaheim Benton, Ed Howard, Cameron Bufford, Brandon Green, Darion Radcliff, Marquis Jackson, Joshua Houston, Eddie King, Prentiss Luster, Pierce Jones, Trey Hondras, their coach Darold Butler, director Bill Haley, and assistant coaches Jerry Houston and Jason Little on their historic win. I am exceedingly proud of their accomplishments and wish them best of luck in this upcoming school year.

Mr. President, I haven't spoken that much in this Chamber since I suffered that stroke. I so strongly believe in this legislation to make it happen.

Behind me is a representation of the world's tallest buildings, the 10 tallest buildings in the world. Only one is in the U.S.A. Look over at that tallest one. That still distresses me, the Burj Khalifa, which is right now the tallest building in the world. I believe as the Senator representing Chicagoland, the city that invented the skyscraper, that Chicagoland citizens have a right to grow up in the shadow of the world's tallest buildings. Unless we quantify the risk for building one of these buildings through the TRIA legislation, we will not return skyscrapers to the country that invented skyscrapers.

With that I yield back the remainder of my time.

Thank you.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize the National Roofing Contractors Association, NRCA, headquartered in Rosemont, IL, and its efforts to designate the week of July 6-12, 2014 as National Roofing Week.

The roof is one of the most important components of any home or business. It is the first line of defense against natural elements, such as rain, snow or wind, and yet it is often taken for granted until it falls into disrepair. National Roofing Week recognizes the thousands of roofing contractors and roofing-related businesses across the country, the industry's commitment to public service and is a valuable reminder of the significance quality roofing has on every home and business in the United States.

Established in 1886, NRCA is one of the Nation's oldest trade associations and the voice of professional roofing contractors worldwide. Today, the NRCA has more than 3,800 members located across all 50 States and represents a variety of industry stakeholders, including roofing, roof deck, and water proofing contractors. Utilizing its vast network of roofing contractors and industry-related members, NRCA is responsible for the installation of the majority of new construction and replacement roof systems on commercial and residential structures in America. With most of its members employed by small, privately held businesses, the NRCA represents thousands of hard- working families and individuals that are the backbone of our economy.

Professional roofing contractors provide vital services to their communities, both on and off the clock. This year NRCA members will gather in Chicago, IL throughout the week of July 6-12 and donate their time and materials to charitable community service roofing projects throughout the Chicago area. I commend the NRCA and the vital role the organization and its members play in every community and I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging their contributions during National Roofing Week.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I rise to memorialize the life of my Washington, DC, scheduler who passed away yesterday, Lisa Radogno.

This is a picture of her. I am going to give these remarks as if I am talking to Lisa because this blow was such a severe one that we suffered yesterday.

Lisa Radogno was one of the brightest lights of my Washington, DC, office. She was such a strong supporter of mine, even stronger than I.

Lisa was a diehard White Sox fan. She even had a White Sox logo tattoo on her ankle. We will miss her so very dearly.

Lisa, I will tell you that this loss is--sorry, Mr. President. I get very emotional about this death that just happened yesterday. I want to memorialize Lisa, who was so much like her mother, State senator Christine Radogno of Lemont, dedicated to the service of the people of Illinois. She was a fierce, fierce worker on campaigns and here in the Senate. She is somebody I will miss with every fiber of my being. She was with me in the House of Representatives and here in the Senate and was so proud to represent the people of Illinois here in the Senate.

To have her die yesterday was a big blow, especially for a young woman in her thirties. It is a real shock to my staff to have Lisa gone from us.

Lisa, these days are going to be really hard. I will just say you ran the schedule so perfectly. It was a work of art, in your case, to do the complicated workings of a House office, of a Senate office, to be so perfect and so young in what you did. The staff is all now in shock. You were certainly the social light of our operation here in Washington, DC.

I spent a good part of last night on your Facebook page looking at pictures of you, and it really caused me to cry a bunch. I will miss you, especially in our office, and watching you online quite a bit, hoping that Facebook leaves up those pictures forever so I can always take a quick look at your smile and remember your humor, which was always right at the ready.

Lisa was such a strong supporter of my office. To have her lost like this so suddenly was a big shock to us. This is pretty hard for all of us in the Kirk operation to handle.

Thank you Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate Manish Shah. I am proud to have put forward Mr. Shah to be a Federal district court judge for Northern Illinois. I thank President Obama for nominating him. I thank the Senate for voting to confirm Manish Shah.

Senator Durbin, Illinois' senior Senator, and I work to ensure Illinois has highly skilled judges to help strengthen our courts. Mr. Shah was such a judicial nominee.

In Illinois, Mr. Shah has established himself as an outstanding lawyer and dedicated public servant. He was among the most experienced prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois. Now with Senate confirmation, Mr. Shah starts the next phase of his legal career. He is ready to take a seat on the Federal bench.

We, as Americans, should be proud of Manish Shah. He is a great American success story. Mr. Shah was born in New York. His parents emigrated from India and raised their two sons in West Hartford, CT. Mr. Shah attended Stanford University and graduated with honors and distinction. He attended the University of Chicago Law School, and again he graduated with honors.

After law school, Shah was a litigation associate at Heller Ehrman in San Francisco and clerked for Hon. James B. Zagel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Mr. Shah joined the Chicago U.S. attorney's office in September 2001 and prosecuted violent crime, international drug trafficking, complex fraud, and public corruption. During his time as a Federal prosecutor, Mr. Shah developed a stellar record--notably, Mr. Shah worked with former U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Mr. Shah and a team of prosecutors and Federal agents investigated and prosecuted a series of cases arising out of the city of Chicago's Hired Truck Program and Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

While working at the U.S. attorney's office Mr. Shah served in several leadership positions. He was a deputy chief of the General Crimes Section and the Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Section, and he was the chief of the Appellate Section. Mr. Shah was the chief of the Criminal Division and

responsible for supervising the prosecutions in the Northern District of Illinois handled by the approximately 130 Assistant U.S. attorneys. These are the types of life and work experiences that make great judges.

Mr. Shah will be a knowledgeable jurist who will provide a fair forum for the resolution of civil disputes and the prosecution of alleged crimes. I am sure Mr. Shah will have a long and stellar career on the Federal bench in the Northern District of Illinois. I am certain Mr. Shah will be a top-rate judge.

I congratulate Mr. Shah on his confirmation. I look forward to following his judicial career.

Congratulations, Manish Shah. I wish you well.

Madam President, on the afternoon of January 29, 2013, Lawrence D. Sellers, Jr. and his friends were relaxing in Chicago's Vivian Gordon Harsh Park after finishing their high school final exams. Shots rang out. Lawrence pushed his girlfriend out of harm's way. A bullet struck his left leg below the calf. And as the group tried to run away, Lawrence heard a scream and turned around to see his friend, Hadiya Pendleton, falling to the ground.

Hadiya's murder has become a rallying cry in Chicago to give law enforcement the tools they need to reduce gang and gun violence. I remain committed to passing legislation that bears her name to stop the straw purchasing and trafficking of guns that can end up in the hands of dangerous gangs like the Gangster Disciples. I will continue working with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy to ensure additional Federal resources are promptly delivered to implement a holistic, all-of-government strategy to make our communities safer.

But today I wish to recognize Lawrence for his bravery and heroism-- because inside this tragedy, we can find a spark of hope to restore our faith in what is possible when good people are not afraid to do the right thing. Lawrence is that spark.

A senior at King College Prep in North Kenwood with aspirations of becoming a math teacher, Lawrence is an Eagle Scout, and, just last month, he received the Honor Medal from the Boy Scouts of America.

``Doing the right thing, you shouldn't get an award for it,'' Lawrence said with great humility. ``But I am honored to receive it, of course; I just feel like it's just the right thing.''

In a community torn apart by gang violence, it is not always easy to do the right thing--or to always know what the right thing is in the first place. That is what makes groups like the Boy Scouts and other community youth groups so important in a holistic antigang violence strategy.

I am proud to join the Boy Scouts of America in honoring Lawrence Sellers. Lawrence is a role model to his peers and a reminder that supporting civic-minded youth organizations like the Boy Scouts must be a part of our antiviolence, antigang strategy.

Madam President, I wish to recognize and thank Mr. Patrick Sullivan, the retiring director of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center--FHCC--in North Chicago, IL. Lovell Hospital is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense--DoD,--integrating all medical care into the Nation's first truly joint Federal health care facility with a single combined VA and Navy mission. The men and women of Lovell Hospital serve approximately 67,000 servicemembers, veterans, and their families through a network of eight facilities in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Mr. Sullivan served as the facility's first director when it was formally established in October 2010. As director, he took on the daunting task of integrating the North Chicago VA Medical Center and Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes and combining the missions of caring for active duty military members, their families, military retirees and veterans.

Mr. Sullivan has skillfully led a VA/DoD team of over 3,000 as they have developed a national model for integrated Federal health care.

Mr. Sullivan had a long and successful career caring for our Nation's heroes. He served as the director of the North Chicago VA Medical Center before its integration into the Lovell FHCC. He has worked at VA Medical Centers across the country, including centers in Prescott, AZ, Portland; OR, Martinez, CA and Poplar Bluff, MO. Mr. Sullivan also extends his leadership skills to his community, serving on the board of several community organizations in Lake County, Ill.

I wish to personally thank Pat Sullivan for his service to our country and its veterans. His tireless efforts to make the Lovell Hospital vision a reality will not be forgotten. His work was ahead of its time and stands as a model for the future.

Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to my constituent LTC Catherine M. Black for her exemplary dedication and service to the United States Army and to the United States of America. She has served for the last 2 years as a congressional budget liaison for the Secretary of the Army.

A native of Chicago, IL, Lieutenant Colonel Black enlisted in the Army in the summer of 1994. She was selected as the Soldier of the Year at Fort Gordon, GA, and was subsequently selected for the Officer Candidate School, earning a commission as a finance officer in April 1997.

Lieutenant Colonel Black has served in a broad range of duty stations and assignments over her two decades of service. As a Lieutenant, she served as a disbursing officer in a finance group at Fort Bragg, NC. This culminated in a rotation through the U.S. Army Forces Center in Doha, Qatar. Following the horrific attacks on September 11, 2011, she provided financial management services during the ground invasion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

As a Captain, Catherine Black served as a finance detachment commander and battalion operations officer at Fort Richardson, AK, and later as a financial management operations officer at Fort Belvoir, VA. After promotion to major, she commanded the 126th Financial Management Unit for a year and a half, while simultaneously serving as the Battalion Executive Officer for the Special Troops Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade at Fort Riley, KS. She trained and deployed her three financial management detachments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. She then deployed her headquarters to Kandahar, Afghanistan and stood up financial operations throughout southern Afghanistan. There she provided finance support to joint and coalition

forces and developed financial management infrastructure for the nation of Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel Black was selected to serve as a congressional budget liaison officer in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for financial management and comptroller. She managed the Army's military personnel and operations and maintenance accounts, the Working Capital Fund, and activity at the depots and arsenals that support the Nation's organic industrial base, including Illinois' Rock Island Arsenal.

Lieutenant Colonel Black's leadership throughout her career has positively impacted her soldiers, peers, and superiors. As a budget liaison officer, she worked directly with the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to educate and inform Senators, Representatives, and staff for the United States Army.

Mr. President, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I thank and commend LTC Catherine Black for two decades of service to her country. I wish Catherine, her husband Geert Jacobs, and her sons Alexander, Achilles, and Elias all the best as they continue their journey of service.

Madam President, I have been silent for the last 2 years due to having a stroke a little under 2 years ago. I have come to speak because I believe so passionately in the ENDA statute. This is not a major change to law. It is already law in 21 States.

I think it is particularly appropriate for an Illinois Republican to speak on behalf of this measure, in the true tradition of Everett McKinley Dirksen and Abraham Lincoln, men who gave us the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I wish to support three Illinois citizens from East St. Louis who have made a lasting impact on their community. These leaders are the late James E. Williams, Sr., the first African-American mayor of the City of East St. Louis, his wife Lillian Croom Williams and Milton Wharton, a retired circuit court judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit of Illinois. It is my pleasure to honor their service and highlight their commitment to the city.

Besides his service as mayor, Mr. Williams also served as the school board president of District 189. He was well known for his accessibility and commitment to public service.

Mrs. Williams joined her husband in public service as both an educator and civic leader. Her advocacy for higher education and support for local police, firefighters and teachers are among her lasting contributions to the area.

Judge Wharton earned his law degree from DePaul University in 1975, and was appointed an associate judge for the St. Clair County Circuit Court in 1976. Twelve years later, he was elected as a full circuit judge for the 20th Judicial Circuit. He has received numerous awards and accolades and is an active Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni member.

These individuals will be honored this month by the Emma L. Wilson- King Foundation, which provides scholarships and other resources to local students. I join with the foundation in honoring Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Judge Wharton and their families for their important public service contributions.

Mr. President, I rise to address a crisis of confidence at Chicagoland's suburban commuter railroad--Metra. Metra plays a vital role for our area--reducing congestion and carrying thousands of suburban residents to and from Chicago each day. But recent developments highlight a troubled transit system and a misuse of public dollars.

Earlier this summer it was reported that Metra CEO Alex Clifford received a severance package worth nearly $750,000 following allegations of political influence at the agency. Clifford received $442,237 alone just to buyout the remaining term of his contract, on top of $307,390 for an additional 12 months if he is unable to find new employment.

This is a gross misuse of public dollars. With this action, Metra's former CEO makes more than President Obama, who currently makes $400,000 a year. I asked the Congressional Research Service how this golden parachute ranks compared to the annual salary of the top ten largest transit agencies in the country, and the results were surprising. Each of the top 10 largest transit systems pays their chief executive no more than $350,000, meaning Metra, the 24th largest transit agency in the country, had the highest earning CEO.

Fortunately federal taxpayer dollars did not contribute to Clifford's golden parachute. But Metra is expected to receive more than $135 million in federal capital dollars. If our local government bodies can't be trusted to be good stewards of the public, then the Congress should step in to put in place reasonable taxpayer protections.

Today I have introduced the Public Transportation Accountability Act which for the first time will put limits on executive compensation at public transit agencies that receive federal funds. No executive or employee of a transit agency would be able to receive annual compensation that is greater than that of the President of the United States. This is a common sense bill that sadly is necessary to safeguard taxpayers' pocketbooks.

Mr. President, I rise to address a crisis of confidence at Chicagoland's suburban commuter railroad--Metra. Metra plays a vital role for our area--reducing congestion and carrying thousands of suburban residents to and from Chicago each day. But recent developments highlight a troubled transit system and a misuse of public dollars.

Earlier this summer it was reported that Metra CEO Alex Clifford received a severance package worth nearly $750,000 following allegations of political influence at the agency. Clifford received $442,237 alone just to buyout the remaining term of his contract, on top of $307,390 for an additional 12 months if he is unable to find new employment.

This is a gross misuse of public dollars. With this action, Metra's former CEO makes more than President Obama, who currently makes $400,000 a year. I asked the Congressional Research Service how this golden parachute ranks compared to the annual salary of the top ten largest transit agencies in the country, and the results were surprising. Each of the top 10 largest transit systems pays their chief executive no more than $350,000, meaning Metra, the 24th largest transit agency in the country, had the highest earning CEO.

Fortunately federal taxpayer dollars did not contribute to Clifford's golden parachute. But Metra is expected to receive more than $135 million in federal capital dollars. If our local government bodies can't be trusted to be good stewards of the public, then the Congress should step in to put in place reasonable taxpayer protections.

Today I have introduced the Public Transportation Accountability Act which for the first time will put limits on executive compensation at public transit agencies that receive federal funds. No executive or employee of a transit agency would be able to receive annual compensation that is greater than that of the President of the United States. This is a common sense bill that sadly is necessary to safeguard taxpayers' pocketbooks.